We’ve all been in situations where our parcel has arrived, and we’ve been shocked as we unwrap layers upon layers of packing peanuts, and carboard boxes. Sometimes, this game of pass-the-parcel might be necessary, when something really fragile has been ordered, however, quite often it’s not needed, and can make the process of receiving a parcel frustrating or confusing. On the other hand, there are also cases where items may have experienced damage due to a lack of essential protective packaging. Either way, these are both examples of what can be considered inappropriate packaging. When a customer receives a delivery, they hope that it will be perfectly packed, easy to open, and nicely presented. So how important is appropriate packaging?
Factors such as size, ease of opening, and protective elements, may impact how ‘appropriate’ some packaging is considered for the item. To ensure that you have a happy customer, you may need to adapt your packaging strategy, as our research finds that it is an important factor in ensuring that your business stands out, as the amount of people receiving poorly packaged goods has risen since 2017.
Have you or anyone in your household ever received an item with inappropriate packaging?
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
When 1,000 respondents answered whether they’d received an inappropriately packaged delivery, in 2017 the percentage of those who said ‘yes’ was 30%, now, in 2021, it’s almost 40%. Those unhappy with their deliveries peaked in 2020, and has fallen slightly in the last year. This suggests that there’s an increase in poor packaging, which leads to dissatisfied customers.
Why was the packaging inappropriate?
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
Similarly, we then asked the customers who answered ‘yes’ to elaborate on why the packaging was inappropriate. The answers show that generally, the main problem was either the packaging was too little (55% in 2021) or too much (42% in 2021), followed closely by it being too big for the item it contained. This suggests that whilst we may think of not protecting fragile items as a main cause for concern, customers also become equally frustrated when their smaller items arrive in too much packaging. Whether this is due to it being difficult to open, or environmental concerns, we can’t say, however it’s clear that it can be a problem.
When it comes to packaging items to send to the customer, it’s important to maintain a level of awareness about the amount and size of packaging, in order to ensure they have the best experience possible.
